


The Belly of the Sky

by lionor



Series: The Universe Alive Around Us [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Childhood, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 01:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2172474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionor/pseuds/lionor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hikaru Sulu dreams of flying but fears to fall</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Belly of the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> I feel bad about not updating Dead Above Us. Please take this in the meantime. Both "Dead" and this will continue, fear not!

When he was seven, Hikaru dreamed of flying.

It was by no means the first time, but now, in the balmy San Francisco summer night, his dream was tangible. He stood on the apartment complex roof, between waking and sleeping, and grinned up at the sky, arms flung out to embrace the night—the city, the rising fog, and the dim stars he could see faintly glimmering. He teetered toward the edge, drunk with elation as the breeze tousled his black hair. At any moment, the breeze could take him, the sky would swallow him into its warm sweet belly and he would soar. 

“Hiki, get away! You’re going to fall!” The loud whisper shook Hikaru into wakefulness and his toes peeked over the edge. He flapped his arms wildly, suddenly aware of the distance beneath his feet. The breeze could take him nowhere now with his sister’s voice rooting him to the roof. “Hiki? Are you—don’t fall!” His arms fluttered faster and he felt himself pitching forward, not to the sky but to the ground, the unforgiving earth. He let out a startled cry. His sister rushed forward, snatching his arm as he fell. 

Something in his shoulder snapped, but he bit back the yelp and gasped, “Pull me up, Yuki, quick, quick!” She did her best, despite being smaller and younger. He scrabbled against the wall and finally they lay painting on the roof, adrenaline speeding their blood and breath. They city glare was covered by the fog and the moon shone dimly through the clouds. 

“Hiki, you’re so dumb,” Yuki said with no malice. “Are you all right?”

“Shut up,” he replied, smiling a little and nudging her with his foot. “I think you dislocated my shoulder. But I guess better that than…well, thank you.” A shiver went through him as he imagined what would have happened if he’d hit the ground so far below. “It hurts but you saved me.”

“What are we going to tell mom and dad?” she murmured, still staring at the sky.

“The North Wind made me do it,” he replied slyly.

“You’re so dumb,” she repeated. “I think I’ll claim being moonstruck.”

“What about starstruck?” 

“Even better.” 

Hikaru stared at the sky until he heard his sister’s breath even into sleep, and as his own eyes drooped he watched the stars dance above him. The universe was alive around him, the belly of the sky lulling him to sleep.


End file.
